1. Introduction
Contaminated water has plagued Mogadishu Somalia for decades causing diseases, suffering and death.
In 1991 the government of Somalia collapsed that resulted the nation to remain without a functioning
government and as a result descended into anarchy and destruction as civil war ravaged the land,
although currently the federal government of Somalia together with the African Union begun to restore
stability to Mogadishu and to other part of Somalia. Yet the devastating effects of war, anarchy and
extreme poverty continues to cause extreme suffering for millions Somalis.
Prior to the war, the capital city of Somalia Mogadishu obtained their fresh water through pipes that
transported water into the city from a river located in Afgoye town 16 miles north of the city. The war
caused this water distribution infrastructure to collapse, as means for the people of Mogadishu to
obtain water they began to dig wells and boreholes that are poorly constructed all throughout the city.
A destroyed waste management infrastructure and a complete lack of enforced well construction
guidelines and polices, become dangerous and deadly because of cross contamination with human,
animals waste, bacteria, microorganisms and other pollutants, That caused an extreme environmental
health disaster for the general population, its estimated that as much as 80% of the population of
Mogadishu do not have access to save drinking water, the result is an endemic spread of water borne
diseases such as cholera, dysentery, Typhoid and Acute Watery Diarrhea that claim the lives of many
children.
Bulla Eelay is one of the administrative locations of Waberi District in Mogadishu, majority of its
inhabitants are the Rahaweyn clan (Eelay as famously known by Mogadishu residents), Banaadiri
including Jareer, Arabs and Barawe who are among the minority clans in Mogadishu, it has estimated
population of 5000HH.
Ururka Dhalinyarada
Mutadawiciinta Soomaaliyeed
Somali Youth Voluntary
Group Association
Simply for better future
SOYVGA office is located (off Makka Al-Mukarama road) at Bulla Eelay which is among the most
populated areas in Mogadishu, due to the locality of our office we happen to witness the difficult in
Livelihood, Water, Hygiene and sanitation situation on top of this we happen to be the only LNGO which
has an office in the area, hence community elders have been visiting us asking of how we can help, this
has lead SOYVGA to conduct a 5 days WASH needs Assessment.2. Objective of the assessment
The objective of this WASH Need Assessment was primarily to collect detailed, accurate and credible
information on the WASH needs of the communities of Waberi district (Bulla Eelay), especially focusing
on the access of safe drinking water, hygiene behaviors and sanitation.
1. To find out the main source of water
2. Accessibility of safe drinking water
3. General situation of Hygiene and sanitation in Bulla Eelay
4. Hygiene behaviors and practices in the area
5. Accessibility to latrines3. The Methodology
Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed to collect data in the three areas.
The following instruments/methods were used concurrently:
 Questionnaire – to conduct household interviews
 Community meetings- community meetings were held to solicit different views and
opinions of different community members on issues related to WASH needs and
activities.
 Observation – An observation checklist was developed to capture additional information
and to corroborate information gathered from key informants.
 Use of Secondary data – by using materials from previously conducted assessments4. Findings
 A question on water sources was asked the interviewed member of the community which
was; where does the village get its water from? Villages explained that water accessible
(although water quality also remains in question) from privately owned shallow wells and
boreholes through poorly installed piping systems that burst sometimes which results water
scarcity, the population of Bulla Eelay are divided in to 3 categories:
1. Lowest class are the poorest of the poor, its estimated that 55% of the population falls
under this category, they earn their living through casual jobs i.e. construction jobs,
house hold jobs and hawking, they access their water from polluted water sources i.e.
puddles, while those who are able buy water from public kiosk (tabs) that are installed
at different parts of the village where 20 liter Jerrigan costs 2000 Smshs ($0.09).
2. The middle class represents 40% of the population they acquire water by installing
piped water to their houses, they pay installation fee of 70$ and pay monthly bill by
graduated metric systems.
3. The upper class consists of 3 – 5% of the population, they acquire water by installing
piped water to their houses, they pay installation fee of 70$ and pay monthly bill by
graduated metric systems and buy bottled water for drinking
 There are frequent pipe bursts along the distribution lines mainly due to low quality pipes and
high pressure through small diameter pipes and leading to water shortage for quite some time
causing water scarcity.
 The vulnerable are suffering since they cannot afford the cash to buy the water and sustain their
livelihoods, of which the owner doesn’t care about who has and who doesn’t.
 Majority of the respondents stated that the distance between water points and their homes is
quite some distance (2km) while carrying heavy jerrigans on their back.
 Most households neither treat (68%) nor boil the water (82%).
 Most households consume more than 30 liters of water per day (65%), this emphasizes the
water need among households, water storage is mainly in containers with lids
 Garbage disposal is not properly done through waste pits, garbage’s are everywhere in the
streets, while in some places you find accumulated garbage
 More than three to four household sharing one latrine
 No access roads with in Bulla Eelay, they are narrow paths that can’t be accessed even by a
wheelbarrow
 Over populated/crowded and its more of slum settlement
 No Solid waste Management
 Sanitation reached alarming
 Never received any humanitarian assistance
 Stagnant water due to lack of drainage systems5. Challenges
There were no major constraint during the exercise, the only challenges faced included the rough terrain
of the village and we could not meet some respondents who had significant information since they go
out early morning (as early as 6:00am) to source their daily needs in the markets, however we managed
to get the intended respondents and community members for the meetings and interviews.6. Recommendations
 Community mobilization and sensitization on hygiene & sanitation
 General cleaning of the common areas
 Collection of garbage and dump it in designated dump sites out of the town
 High need of latrines construction and Rehabilitation
 Construction prober drainage systems
 Enhance disinfection of shallow wells and support to IDPs and poor households to acquire water
treatment and filters at level as well as water quality monitoring
 Emergency sanitation and hygiene responses should be expanded less than 30% of sites
assessed had functional latrines resulting in a high risk of disease including cholera.
Interventions should consider security issues in using latrines mentioned
 Installation of more public kiosks (Tabs), since there only 4 at the moment that are stationed in
4 corners of the village.7. Conclusion
Everyday people in Bulla Eelay are drinking dangerously contaminated water, they have no any other
option than to drink this water, many of these are children who contract waterborne diseases that leads
to suffering and sometimes death, this can be prevented by implementing the recommendations
mentioned above, in our assessment mission the community lamented that Mogadishu having been the
base for Hundereds of Humanitarian Agencies both International and Local none has ever attended to
their pathetic situaion, SOYVGA is therefore requesting all the Humanitarian Organizations to give
attentionto the residents of Bulla Eelay !!!